Introduction To SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS)

Introduction

SQL Server Reporting Services is a server based reporting platform. These types of reporting services can be used to create and manage tabular, matrix and graphical reports. These types of reports contain data from SQL Server and also various other data source types. These types of reports can be viewed over a World Wide Web based connection. These types of reports can be built based on relational or multidimensional data from SQL Server and an ODBC and OLEDB connection. The user can create reports in a different manner, like graphical, tabular and also matrix form.

The main feature of SQL Server Reporting Services is that web based feature. Users can interact with the Report Server web service directly, or instead use Report Manager. We can deploy our finished reports using a Reporting Service website, called Report Manager and user can view the reports directly within their web or Windows-based application. For creating SQL Server Reporting Services we must install a Business Intelligence (BI) project template for Visual Studio. Reporting Services is more compatible with Microsoft technologies.

Core components of SQL Server Reporting Services

There are mainly three components of SQL Server Reporting Services.

• Complete set of tools that you can use to create, manage and view reports.
• Report server component hosts the final reports in a different variety like HTML, PDF, Excel, CSV and more.
• Provides custom tools to build and manage reports.

Advantages of SQL Server Reporting Services

There are the following advantages of SQL Server Reporting Services.

• Faster processes of final reports on both relational and multidimensional data.
• Easily deploying reports using the Microsoft reporting service.
• Faster delivery of information to business organizations.
• Providing better Decision making to business users.
• Direct and efficient way of reporting access to information residing in both Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server databases.
• Provides Ability to business users to interact with information without including IT professionals.
• There is No need for any special skills.
• It provides a World Wide Web (WWW) based connection for deploying reports.

Export options of SQL Server Reporting Services

After creating and deploying reports, the next step is to specify what format you must save the reports and exports of reports. It is totally dependent on the user's choice.

Finally, you have many ways to render the reports as in the following:

• HTML
• Excel
• Tiff (image)
• XML
• CSV

Software requirements of SQL Server Reporting Services

This list shows the minimum requirements of SQL Server Reporting Services.

Processor

• Intel Pentium II or compatible 500-megahertz (MHz) or higher processor

Operating System

SQL Server Reporting Services runs on only these operating systems.

• Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition
• Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition
• Windows 2000 Server with Service Pack 4 (SP4) or later
• Windows 2000 Advanced Server with SP4 or later
• Windows 2000 Datacenter Server with SP4 or later
• Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 1 (SP1) or later1
• Windows 2000 Professional with SP4 or later2

Memory

• 256 megabytes (MB) of RAM
• 512 MB or more based on requirements

Hard disk

• 50 MB of available hard disk space for Report Server
• 100 MB of available hard disk space for Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1
• 30 MB of available hard disk space for Report Designer
• 145 MB of available hard disk space for samples and Books Online

Database

• SQL Server 2000 standard edition with Service pack 3 (SP3)
• SQL Server 2000 enterprise edition with Service pack 3 (SP3)
• SQL Server 2000 developer edition with Service pack 3 (SP3)

Additional software requirements of SQL Server Reporting Services

There are the following two additional software requirements of SQL Server Reporting Services.

• Microsoft Visual Studio (any edition) is required for the report designer.
• Internet Explorer 6.0 is required to access the Report Manager from client computers.

Summary

This article provided an introduction to SQL Server Reporting Services and also described the advantages and the software requirements.